Bollywood a blockbuster away from going global: Butala

One of Bollywood's most successful producers believes the current generation of Indian film-makers is set to conquer the world -- by moving beyond the traditional song and dance format.
"India is still to find its "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" but it's only a matter of time," said Amar Butala, the producer behind the smash hit "Bajrangi Bhaijaan", the second-highest grossing Bollywood film of all time.
The Chinese-language martial arts epic "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" directed by Taiwan's Ang Lee was a hit when it was released in 2000, going on to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
It collected an estimated USD 128 million from the international box office, still a record for a non-English language film and more than double the second-highest all-time earner, "My Beautiful Life" (1998) from Italy.

"As younger film-makers in Bollywood change the way our films are made - whether it be the stories we tell or the use of song and dance - in the coming years we'll see more and more Bollywood films reach out to the international audience," said Butala.
He was speaking to AFP before the screening of "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" at the 20th Busan International Film Festival, the pre-eminent event of its kind in Asia.

The film has taken an estimated USD 91 million globally so far - placing it second only to the 2014-released comedy "PK" (USD114 million) - and it follows the relationship that builds between an Indian man and a Pakistani girl trapped in India.

BIFF kicked off Thursday with the world premiere of Mozez Singh's "Zubaan", the first time a Bollywood production has opened the festival.
Singh's debut is a coming-of-age story about a young man who uses music to learn lessons about modern life. Other Bollywood films on the programme here include two productions tapping into the industry's traditions - and star-crossed lovers - in "Masaan", an award winner at this year's Cannes festival, and "O Kadhal Kanmani".
The festival is also showcasing the rising stars from India's film industry beyond Bollywood and Hindi-language movies.